FAQ | Love The Definitive Zetetick Answers

Our charge is £20 per week, subject to annual reviews. The LA financial assessment is calculated based on the tenant’s income, so we cannot state what this may be in advance. In most cases, tenant contribution is zero.

Under Housing Benefit rules, the use of water and personal use of heating & lighting is not eligible for HB funding. Therefore we adopted the Government recommended calculations and these may change from time to time.

This is a choice for the tenant/s. The utility bills can be placed in the tenant’s name and for the tenant to fund these directly. However our default position is for Zetetick Housing to manage and fund all utility bills on behalf of the tenant/s.

There are certain charges that the tenant must pay for directly. These include TV licence; pay-for TV, internet installation & charges, ongoing house telephone (ZH will fund installation only) running costs i.e. calls and line rental.

All maintenance/repairs are managed and funded by Zetetick Housing. When assessing each referral an allowance for repairs is calculated based on likely demand, so will vary according to tenant assessed behaviour and need.

Yes. We charge within the rent agreement a management charge that covers the administration costs of the charity and the service provision to our tenants. This charge is funded via Housing Benefit or DHP.

Yes, subject to certain conditions. In order to ensure the tenancy is affordable we must achieve exempt accommodation status for the service – see questions on ‘exempt accommodation’ and ‘can we choose the support provider’.

The use of the direct payment to contract either Zetetick Housing directly or one of our nominated Support Providers will meet our exempt housing eligibility criteria.

Yes, subject to certain conditions. In order to ensure the tenancy is affordable then we must achieve exempt accommodation status for the service – see questions on ‘exempt accommodation’.

In summary there are two elements that need to be addressed:

That some direct support is contracted with Zetetick Housing.
That the PA’s are in part or wholly managed through an approved quality Support Provider.

This is where the Landlord providing the accommodation is a Local Authority (Council) or a not-for-profit organisation (Charities) that also provides support to its tenants either directly or by a third party on behalf of the Landlord.

At present we source and lease all our properties from the private rental market. We currently have properties in the South London boroughs and on the South coast – Brighton & Lewes areas.

No. It is our long-term plan to purchase properties, but in the short/medium-term we will continue to lease properties.

Because we lease from the open market we can offer almost all types of properties from studio flats to large detached houses. We are not restricted by empty housing stock as we don’t own any properties. All new referrals for housing are treated as bespoke services and we source accommodation based on the housing specification for each new tenant.

The term ‘home for life’ has long since gone from Government strategies. Most local Councils only offer short-term tenancies, even though they own the property, so that they retain flexibility in future to change arrangements. Council housing is very limited and often have long waiting lists.

Council housing is very limited with very long waiting lists (over a year in most cases). Housing Associations work in partnership with Councils to plan and build housing stock based on local plans. These plans are pre-allocated years in advance and do not offer the flexibility to provide accommodation for unplanned immediate need. Zetetick Housing fulfills this local demand and bridges this gap in social housing need.

Not necessarily. Many Councils via their HA partners only offer AST agreements of 12 months or less. It is more common within local Council provision for short-term weekly licenses to be issued rather than the more secure and protected AST agreement.

Although we cannot offer a ‘home for life’ in terms of the building, we can offer and become your Landlord for life. As long as you need support to live in the community and meet our eligibility criteria then we will support and provide all your accommodation needs both now and in the future. When you are ready to move on, we will find and provide you with a new home/s that grows and changes with you.

Yes this is possible, albeit a last resort, should the tenant’s circumstances change to such an extent that it makes the tenancy unsustainable.

These will vary according to individual circumstances. However we endeavour to offer a 3-year, less one day, AST agreement where the Head Lease rental term permits us to do so. As a general rule the rental term within our AST agreements with our tenants matches the remaining term within the Head Lease.

This is a natural concern for many parents in planning the future for their vulnerable son or daughter. There are no homes for life and this is a reality we all have to face up to. What is important is, not necessarily the ‘bricks and mortar’, but the organisation/s that support the tenant now and in future. Should a move be required at a future date then Zetetick Housing’s charitable aims will ensure alternative accommodation is found, protect the tenant’s rights and ensure that the move is as smooth as possible. This is achieved with the tenant and in close partnership with their responsible Local Authority, Support Provider and family members.

Yes. We may offer and the tenant can reject up to 3 choices before the referral is removed from our list. As the property will be from the open rental market we are subject to the same market conditions as everyone else. This means that if we reject a property today then it is very unlikely to be available tomorrow if you change your mind.

Yes. There are market conditions that need to be considered, in that we require all people involved in the decision making process to be available within 24 hours to view/visit a potential property. If we cannot make a decision within a relatively short period of time then the property is likely to be rented to another person. Where a suitable property has been found, but time to view is delayed, then Zetetick Housing (at our discretion) will place a holding deposit on the property to allow the tenant and family time to approve. As this is a non-refundable deposit, only one holding position will be granted per referral.

In most cases we are able to secure a property without the need to pay a deposit. However on occasions when an ideal property has been found and the owner requires a deposit then Zetetick Housing can fund this, but reserves the right to charge the tenants a pro-rata deposit, as part of their tenancy.

Yes. We welcome help from the tenant and/or their family. Where a family wishes to engage in this process we can provide them with guidance and a budget, so that they can search and view properties directly. When a suitable property has been found then a simple phone call to Zetetick Housing is all that is needed for us to take over and secure the property.

Zetetick Housing liaises with the Local Authority and Support Provider with the provision of any adaptations required. These will be funded either by the LA or Zetetick Housing.